Understanding Managed Application Services
Managed application services offer businesses a comprehensive solution for maintaining critical business applications and related infrastructure components. These services involve a third-party provider taking over various support and management tasks associated with specific enterprise applications. The provider monitors applications, handles routine maintenance, applies security patches and upgrades, and addresses any performance or functionality issues that arise. This allows client organizations to focus on their core operations while benefitting from expert, around-the-clock management of their application environment.
Application Monitoring and Management
One of the primary responsibilities of a Managed Application Services provider is continuous monitoring of all deployed business applications. Sophisticated monitoring tools provide alerts for any application crashes, slow response times, or other anomalies. The provider’s support team is then able to quickly diagnose and resolve issues before they impact end users. As part of routine maintenance, applications are also kept up-to-date with the latest security patches, bug fixes, and version upgrades as released by the software vendors. This ensures applications run smoothly and securely around the clock.
Infrastructure Management Services
In addition to direct application oversight, many providers take on management of related infrastructure components as well. This includes tasks like maintaining database servers, file/print servers, virtualization platforms, cloud infrastructures, and more. Infrastructure management services cover monitoring, backup/recovery, hardware maintenance, capacity planning and scaling, system updates/patches, performance tuning, and security protection. Outsourcing these support needs allows client IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine infrastructure administration.
Cost Savings and Increased Efficiencies
By leveraging managed application services, organizations gain access to skilled application management resources without having to hire full-time support staff. This results in significant ongoing cost savings compared to maintaining applications internally. Providers are also able to achieve economies of scale that enable more cost-effective ongoing support. Additionally, these centralized, expert teams can often resolve issues more quickly due to dedicated focus and professional tools/processes. This translates to higher system uptime and availability for end users along with increased productivity across the business.
Change Management & Customization Support
Beyond regular operations, managed application services may also include project-based change management work. For example, providers can help test and deploy application upgrades, customizations, or integration with other systems. Their development teams assist with modifications, configurations, enhancements and ensuring any changes do not break existing functionality or security standards. This streamlines IT change processes compared to relying solely on in-house resources for more complex projects. Some progressive providers even promote customer innovation through additional personalized consulting services.
Security, Compliance and Disaster Recovery Capabilities
With managed application services, client organizations gain a security-focused support partner continuously monitoring for threats and vulnerabilities. Providers implement measures like firewall protection, intrusion detection, patch management and encryption to safeguard sensitive data and transactions processed through business applications. They also assist with meeting compliance requirements around data access, privacy standards and retention policies. Comprehensive disaster recovery services are included as well to minimize downtime and data loss risks from unplanned outages or natural/man-made disasters affecting on-premise or cloud infrastructure.
Choosing the Right Partner
When selecting a managed application services provider, request proposals from several potential partners to compare offerings, pricing and client references. Look for established providers with deep expertise in your specific business applications and technologies. Ensure they can meet stringent SLAs for response times, resolution targets and system availability thresholds. Also evaluate providers’ security qualifications, compliance protocols and certifications to verify they can safeguard sensitive information. Overall, choose a collaborative partner committed to ongoing customer success through expert, transparent application management.
As mission-critical business operations become more software-driven, managed application services present a cost-effective way for organizations of all sizes to maintain smooth operations. By outsourcing mundane support activities, internal IT teams gain strategic focus while benefitting from 24/7 oversight by dedicated application management experts. Partnering with a qualified provider enhances productivity, security posture, compliance and disaster recovery capabilities as well. Overall, outsourced application management streamlines operations for maximized ROI from existing technology investments.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it